Scientists develop vaccine for cocaine addiction treatment

 Scientists in Brazil have developed a vaccine that may be used in the treatment of cocaine addiction. Dubbed Calixcoca, the vaccine has shown promising results in generating significant levels of antibodies against cocaine addiction with minimal side effects during animal trials.

If Calixcoca gets regulatory approval, it would be the first time a vaccine is used to treat cocaine addiction. Calixcoca has the potential to protect the foetuses of pregnant addicts, a demographic that is usually excluded from clinical drug trials. Cocaine is a major problem in Brazil, which is the world’s second-biggest consumer of the drug.

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Calixcoca could be particularly effective for patients at critical stages of recovery, such as when they leave rehab, according to Frederico Garcia, coordinator of the team that developed the treatment at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. He noted that there presently is no specific registered treatment for crack and cocaine addiction.

Current practice combines psychological counselling, social assistance, and rehabilitation. The vaccine is made using lab-designed chemical compounds, making it inexpensive to produce and allowing it to be stored without refrigeration.

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Clinical trials are moving to the human stage, and Garcia cautions that while the vaccine has generated widespread interest, it will not be a “panacea” that can be administered to everyone. The target group will depend on the outcome of clinical trials, although it is theorised that the vaccine could be used to help recovering addicts “who are off (cocaine) and want to stay that way”. The goal is to change what Garcia calls the “sad statistic” of addiction, stating that one in four regular cocaine users becomes addicted, while just 25% of addicts manage to quit after five years of treatment.

Garcia noted that drug treatment in Brazil currently relies heavily on psychological counselling and social support rather than pharmaceuticals. Calixcoca could reshape addiction treatment, Garcia commented. Calixcoca won the top prize of €500,000 ($530,000) at the Euro Health Innovation Awards for Latin American medicine, sponsored by pharmaceutical firm Eurofarma.